PORTSMOUTH, Va. — The Coast Guard suspended its search Tuesday evening for two missing persons involved in a Cessna airplane crash 13 miles southeast of Bogue Inlet, North Carolina.

Coast Guard Sector North Carolina watchstanders were initially notified of the incident by Air Traffic Control Cherry Point that an aircraft reportedly dropped from their radar.

Watchstanders at Sector North Carolina dispatched MH-60 Jayhawk and C-130 Hercules aircrews from Air Station Elizabeth City, a 45-foot Response Boat-Medium boatcrew from Station Emerald Isle, and the crew of Coast Guard Cutter Nathan Bruckenthal to respond. Coast Guard personnel searched a combined total of 676.3 square miles over air, sea, and land.

The Federal Aviation Administration and the National Transportation Safety Board will be investigating the cause of the incident. The Coast Guard has suspended its search, pending the development of new information.

Coast Guard searching for plane crash survivors near Emerald Isle, North Carolina

PORTSMOUTH, Va. — Coast Guard crews are searching for survivors after a Cessna airplane crashed southeast of Bogue Inlet, near Emerald Isle, North Carolina, late Monday evening. 

Watchstanders at the Coast Guard Sector North Carolina command center received a call from Air Traffic Control Cherry Point at approximately 11 p.m., that an aircraft had dropped from their radar 12 miles southeast of Bogue Inlet. The aircraft reportedly had two persons aboard. 

The Coast Guard has launched crews aboard the following assets to search:
• an MH-60 Jayhawk helicopter from Air Station Elizabeth City
• a C-130 Hercules aircraft from Air Station Elizabeth City
• a 45-foot Response Boat — Medium from Station Emerald Isle
• Coast Guard Fast Response Cutter Nathan Bruckenthal

Anyone with additional information regarding this case should contact the Sector North Carolina command center on VHF-FM channel 16 or at 910-343-3880.

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